The California Highway Patrol issued 45 citations Saturday during a decoy operation in Sacramento to enforce traffic right-of-way laws by ticketing jaywalkers and motorists who failed to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

“I think it was a huge success,” said Adrian Quintero, CHP Valley Division spokesman. “Even for our officers, just by being out there as pedestrians and seeing motorists not yielding to them – it was an eye-opener for all of us.”

The CHP undertook the project after a slew of auto-pedestrian accidents occurred in Sacramento in recent months. From Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, 10 pedestrians were killed and 15 were injured in accidents in Sacramento.

“The number of fatalities is the reason why we did it,” said Quintero of the decoy operation. “We want to work with community leaders and safety coalitions to get the word out.”

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Four CHP motor officers, one CHP patrol officer and three CHP officer decoys worked at the intersection of Stockton Boulevard and 65th Street from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Twenty-six citations were issued to motorists who did not yield the right of way to pedestrians using the crosswalk, and four pedestrians were cited for jaywalking.

Another 15 citations went to motorists for other moving violations, such as making improper lane changes and failing to signal turns. Also, three motorists and one pedestrian were given verbal warnings.

The decoy operation was the first for the CHP’s California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Enforcement and Education Project, which was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.